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Home for the Holidays this Thanksgiving Weekend

Stanley Zimny via Flickr
New England homes in autumn

When you think of music that makes you feel at home, what comes to mind? We'll play your favorite music throughout Thanksgiving weekend.

This year, Thanksgiving promises to be pretty different than most. Whether you're staying put or going home, our goal is to bring you a sense of home through music. What better way to do that than by asking you for the music that makes you feel at home?

We asked you to fill out a survey answering that exact question, and the results, though not exactly surprising, did point out some interesting patterns -- specifically, your love for one composer in particular: Aaron Copland. 

The two pieces that you requested most often were, overwhelmingly, Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and “Our Town.” So what is it about Copland’s music that speaks to us so deeply? Perhaps it's that this year, in the midst of so much change, there is comfort in simplicity and clarity.

That’s exactly how Copland described the music for “Our Town,” adapted for a film version of Thornton Wilder’s play set in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire:

“I tried for clean and clear sounds and in general used straight-forward harmonies and rhythms that would project the serenity and sense of security of the story.”

Security and serenity -- isn’t that what we’re all looking for, these days? The same applies for “Appalachian Spring,” which paints a lovely portrait of a young couple settling down in rural Pennsylvania. It’s also a piece that reminds us to take stock of what we have, and to celebrate it with gratitude. There’s no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving during this tumultuous year.

However, while you requested Copland's music far more than music by any other composer, these requests amounted to just 22% of the total we received -- which means you gave us a ton of other gorgeous music to play throughout the holiday weekend. We also can't wait to share some of your comments about these pieces on air! Our hearts were entirely warmed reading through them all.

So, thank you for all your wonderful responses, and we hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving weekend of music curated for you, by you! Join us for some or all of it, and we'll all be home for the holidays together.